Plunger support



c. T. SMALL.` 1,766,264

PLUNGER SUPPORT A Original Filed Feb. I7. 1926 BY Agtyl.

June 24, 1930.

Patented .lune 2d, '1939 cirnsr'ar eurent, or sfr. rieure,

:esonera surronr Original application iled February 1'?, 1926, Serial No. 88,765.

Divided and this applicati-on filed February 25, ies serial no. eaaeae.

My invention relates to a plunger sup-l port for can filling machines or the like and is a division of application Serial No. 88,765 filed by me February 17, 1926.

5 Cine object oi my invention is to provide an anti-friction support for the plunger which may be readily and accurately adjusted. Another object of my invention is to provide improvedlubricating means for i the plunger bearing and the support.

ln the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form orP support made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of a ll l ing machine to which the support is applied; Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation; and Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

The iilling machine like that shown inmy prior applica ,n of which this is a division,

' has a central supporting shaft 1, on which a sleeve 2 is rigidly mounted by means ot a set screw B. On the sleeve is a flange l to which is secured a can table 5. Secured to the under tace of the can table is a casting 6 having a conical part 7 forming a shed to discharge waste material and having formed integral therewith plunger bearings 8 in which slide plungers 9. Mounted on each of the plungers is an individual can support 10. In the lowest position of the plunger the top of the individual support should be i'lush with the top ot the can 'table and this is secured by an adjustable stop screw 11 carried in a lug on the bearing. Se

cured to the can support 10 is the shank 12 of a can guide. rlhis shank prevents the can support and consequently the plunger from rotating with respect to the table.

rFhe center shalt l rotates in a lined sleeve 13 externally threaded. Vertical movable on the sleeve 13 is the hub 1d of an oil pan 15. The pan is prevented with respect to the shaft by a key 16 and is adjusted in height by nuts 17 threaded on the sleeve above andv below the hub. Secured in an annular groove in the bottom of the oil pan by clamping blocks 18 is a track 19 for controlling the vertical movement of the plungers carrying the individual from rotating can supports. rlhe space between the casting 6 and the cil pan is closed, to prevent access ot foreign material to the oil inthe pan, by a sheet drum 20 riveted or otherwise securedl to the casting and making sliding contact with the peripheryof the pan so as not to interfere with the raising and lowering or the pan and its track relative to the can table. j j

Formed in the lower end oi the plunger is a threaded bore in which is screwed the lstein 21 oic a ball cage 22 having formed in it a circular chamber 3 of the same diameter as the anti-friction ball 2d contained therein and ruiming on the track 19. The ball is retained in position in the ball chainber by spinning over the edge of the cage at 25. The ball cage may be adjusted vertically in relation to the spindle lby rotating it and so causing its stem to enter the bore in the spindle to a greater or less distance. n

This may be accomplished by inserting a wrench bar in openings 26 in the periphery oi the cage. These openings extend through the walls of the cage so as to permit the free passage of the oil in the pan, which is lilled with oil to about the ieight indicated by the broken line lli-A in Figure 1, to the ball chamber. A lock nut 27 secures the cage in position after it has been adjusted. ln order that kthe oil in the ball chamber may lubricate not only the ball but also the plunger bearing, I provide the plunger 9 and stein 2l 4with a central passage containwick 28 having a lateral extension 29 supplying oil to the plunger bearing. Formed in the top ot the bearing 8 is an oil grooveV 30 covered by a washer 31 to prevent surplus oil from ruiming over onto thev outside of the bearing and the cone 7 `and thus causing powder or dust to adhere to the machine.v

Having fully described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a bearing, of a plunger stem sliding in said bearing, a ball cage carried on kthe lower end of said stem, an oil passage in said stem for lubricating the lll) bearing and terminating in the interior of said ball cage, and an anti-friction ball in said cage covering the inlet of said passage to form a valve therefor.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a bearing, of a plunger stem sliding in said bearing, a ball cage carried on the lower end of said stem, an oil passage in said stem 'for lubricating the bearing and terminating in the interior of said ball cage, an anti-'friction ball in said cage covering the inlet of said passage to form a valve therefor, and an oil reservoir at the upper end of the bearing for accommodating the surplus oil supplied by said Valve.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination With a bearing, of a plunger stem sliding in said bearing, a ball cage carried on the lower end of said stem, an oil passage in said stem for lubricating the bearing and terminating in the interior of said ball cage, a wick in said oil passage, and an anti-friction ball in said cage covering the inlet of said passage to Jform a valve therefor.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto a'fx my signature, this 21st day of February, 1928.

CHESLEY T. SMALL. 

